Effects of cardioplegic solutions on donor heart in rat heart transplantation model

In our study, the effects of different cardioplegia fluids on the donor heart during the extended ischemia period were investigated in rat heart transplantation model. For this purpose, under anesthesia, cardioplegia fluids of Custodiol, St. Thomas and del Nido were administered to male Wistar albino rats until cardiac arrest. Isolated hearts were incubated in cold ischemia (+4 °C) throughout 4 hours and then organ bath experiments were performed isoproteronol-noradrenaline-induced contractions in strips from the right ventricular free wall of the heart tissue. Also, ATP, TNF-α, troponin-I and sialic acid levels and MMP-9 activity were measured in right ventricular tissue. Custodiol application reduced myocardial contraction (p<0,05, compared with both groups) and decreased ATP levels (p<0,001, compared with both groups) compared to other fluids, increased TNF-α levels (p<0,05, compared with both groups) and MMP-9 activity (p<0,05, with compared to St. Thomas; p<0,01, with compared to del Nido). Additionally, troponin-I levels (p<0,05, compared with both groups) were significantly increased in the Custodiol group at time T1 of the incubation fluid compared to the other groups. However, TNF-α levels were positive (r=0,93, P=0,007) with MMP-9 activity and negatively (r=-0,91, P=0,01) correlated with ATP levels. Also MMP-9 activity were negatively (r=-0,9, P=0,01 correlated with ATP levels. Consequently, Custodiol cardioplegia can not prevent functional and cellular damage in heart tissue. In this respect, extracellularly cardioplegia fluids may be more advantageous as cellular and functional. Further studies are needed to evaluate the tissue-protective effect of cardioplegia fluids.